Bon Jovi surprised a fan with stage IV cancer at his restaurant in New Jersey
At 55 years old, Carol Cesario's stage IV lung cancer treatments induced hallucinations of Jon Bon Jovi, a rock star she's loved since the '80s. But her family, friends, and Facebook users helped bring these visions to life in a surprise meeting with the singer on June 25th.
"She was in the hospital for a couple of months and she needed something to make her smile," said her daughter, Rosie Skripkunis.
Skripkunis posted a picture on Facebook of her mother in the hospital holding a sign that read "Please share so I can meet Bon Jovi."
A family friend who works as a concert photographer saw the photo and put her in touch with board members of the Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation, an organization that provides food, housing, and social services for those experiencing poverty and homelessness.
On June 25th, Skripkunis told her mom that JBJ Soul Kitchen, a restaurant in Toms River, New Jersey, run by the foundation, had invited them for a free meal. Then Bon Jovi himself emerged from the kitchen.
In a video posted to Facebook with over 345,000 views, Cesario spots Bon Jovi standing behind her and gasps, screaming "Oh my god!" as her family applauds.
"We were going to pretend that we couldn't see him," Skripkunis laughed, "but no, she wasn't on those medicines anymore, so she knew she was seeing him."
Bon Jovi sat with Cesario and her family for almost 2 hours while they ate dinner, then presented her with a signed guitar and book. Since then, Skripkunis said her mother hasn't stopped smiling.
"She cries every 10-15 minutes about it. She's been sleeping with the book he gave her. I think she's doing pretty good."
